Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-03-19
FRANCIA'S LOSTLOVE.


The light in the parlOr was dim, but
not so dim that Rolph Essen could not
see the look Of fixed agony that Francia
Randolph cast upon his face. Her face
was white and drawn. her blue eyes were
distended with a kind OF horror, and
tsnsely clasped hands were held out to
him in mute appeal But he went on,
In his cold, unsympathetic voice:
al have borne with your Jealous oat-
bursts as long and as patiently as 1 can.
By your insane attack upon me to-day
yOu have broken the last link that binds
us together. L take my freedom and I
give you yours"
"ROlph, You do not mean i'll Fake
back your cruel wordsi do not want
my freedom, and shall not give you
yours. Only promise TO forgive me,
and 1 viii never so offend you againp'
She fell at his feet abjectly, she chung
to his knees with trembling hands, she
lifted her streaming eyes to the cold face
above her. He was not brutal man, but
there seemed something brutal in the
say he took her hands from his knees
and firmly laid them by her side.
sit Is useless to appeal to me, for your
treatment Of me has wearied patience
and worn out love. We had better part
to-day than link our lives together and
separate afterwards, creating a scandal.
Now it viii simply be a broken engage
ment, from which we viii both quickly
recover with out scars"
Erancia rose to her feet.
''YOu think that-and Of meY'
He leaned back In his chair and gazed
at her almost insolently.
II think that of you-and of all wo-
men. There was never yet one who re-
manned faithful to one love. In a year
from now we VIII both laugh at our pres
emit condition"
"YOL may, but I-neverl Rolph, /
can nOt-can not give you upl Say that
you can forgive mel Say that 1 shall
be your wifel Oh, don't you know,
dear, If were your wife should never
feel jealousy againf Don't you know I
would serve you on my knees, that /
would be your slaveP
She approached him once more, lean
ing upon his shoulder with one hand and
peering into his impressive face with eyes
whose expression he dared not read. He
shook OF her touch impatiently and rose.
81 might as well 90 now and end it.
/ shall leave the city tonight, so it will
not be worth while for You to persecute
me with insane letters. 1 shall not get
them"
He picked up his hat and began finger
ing it uneasily, as If to avoid her passion
ate eyes. But she had grown suddenly
calm. She said no word as he moved
toward the door. When he arrived there
he stopped
''Win you not say good-byef"
struck fercely at his outstretched palm
''Noi 1 viii not say goOd-byei Hear
me for the last timel 1 have loved you
long and we'll 1t may be that this part
ing VIII Kill me, and so wish to tell
you chat you have done Ill TO withdraw
your heart from me suppOsing You ever
gave it to me. You have done i'll to per
NIT my wOrship-such worship as few
women can give to fewer men. Never
again win on be loved as 1 have loved
youi never again will you have such
faith given You as I have bestowed upon
you Never, never againI"
He opened and closed the door rapid
" after his retreating form She moved
aluggishly across the room, and fell like
clod upon a sofa.
ENevsr, never againF'
She repeated the words desparingly,
with her lids closed tightly over her hot
eyes, and her hands thrown rigidly above
her head.
''It can not be that he has gone for
svsrl 1t can not be that he means what
he saysl- 1t can not be that I am never
to be his Wifsi Love, come back to me-
Love, forgive msr'
But vaia were her imploring words;
vain we're her bessechings. If only Low G
and friendship were not One-sided things.
She rose and paced the room fever
ishly.
"My God, be mercifull Turn his
heart back to mel I viii be so good an
patient with himl 1 VIII do anything
that he wishes, only bring him back to
mer'
So she prayed, this girl who believed
in God and man, who had faith IN love
aud friendship. The days passed and
Heightened into weeks. There came No
word nor sign from Franeia's recreani
lover. She had to tell her father and
mother that the engagement which had
exi sted between her aad Rolph e ssen
was at end She gave no explana-
tlon, and they asked for none. Sudden
~ brain fever fell upon her, and her life
hung IN the balance for weeks. When
health and consciousness returned to her.
girihood lay behind her. She was try
ing to gather up her broken hopes. her
dead youth and slain faith, and weave
them into a comedy garment which she
might wear decorously before a critical
world. All her friends nov knew that
her engagement was aof," and she
seemed 70 feel the pity, the sympathy
and the moekery which were shOWered
upon her-behind her back.
Two years went by, and Francia Ran
dolph was tWentY-three. Her mother had
the bad taste to give her birthnight fste.
The bad taste-we write advisedly-
where is the woman who likes to be re-
minded OF her age. even if she stin be
youngl But to francia it mat cred lit
tie, for youth seemed 10 lie far behind
her, and the snowH Of sixty years seemed
% lIaez8 her heart.